Spring terminal connection.



E. B. FAHNESTOCK.

SPRING TERMINAL CONNECTION.

APPLICATKON FILED FEB. 24, 1913.

1 1 $6 Patented Sept. 18, 191?.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

E. B. FAHNESTOCK.

SPRING TERMINAL CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1913.

1,246,186, I PatentedSept. 18,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ERNEST BENJAMIN FNESTGCK, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SPRING TERMINAL CONNECTION.

bpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 31%, 191?.

Application filed. February 2%, 1913. Serial No. 750,304.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, ERNEST B. FAHNE- srocn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Terminal Connect ons, of which the following is a specificatlon, accompanied by drawings.

lhis invention relates to a spring terminal connection for use more especially in connecting a high tension cable to the post of a spark plu on the combustion engine of a motor vehicle, although the device may obviously be applied to any other uses for which it is found suitable.

The high tension cables for electrically connecting the magneto to the spark plugs of an automobile engine are ordinarily provided with springclips of some description, usually bare of insulation, so that there is danger from electric shock in connecting the clips tothe posts of the spark plugs, since the clips are adapted to be grasped between the fingers and pressed onto the posts.

The primary object of this invention is to secure a strong and efficient spring terminal connection which will not only .firmly grip the post, but which may be manipulated without danger of electric shock. My improved terminal connection comprises a body member, a spring member, and a third member adapted to cooperate-with said body and spring members to clamp a conductor, or it may comprise two spring members adapted to cooperate with each other to clamp a conductor, or it may comprise a body member and a spring member adapted to cooperate in such manner. In any case, however constructed, non-conducting means are provided whereby said three members or said two members as the case may be, are forced into coiiperative position without danger of electric shock.

ilhe invention is illustrated in the best forms hown to me in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of one preferred form of the device open;

.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device open;

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the device open Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the device clamped to'the post of a spark plug;

Fig. 5 is a detail longitudinal sectional Fig. 11 is a side elevation partly in longit tudinal section of a modification.

Referring to the drawings and at first more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, showing one of the preferred forms of the device, the spring terminal connection is preferably formed of resilient metal, as for instance, a tlat ribbon or strip of metal. the preferred form oi the invention, spring terminal clip comprises a body her A, a spring member B and an interme A diate member C which may be termed a sistant member. llhe clip is formed bendin the resilient metal, so as to form these t ree members A, B and C specified, and bring the third member C in between the body A and the spring member B.

The spring member B is preferably slotted at D, so thatthe spring will not be too strong for easy manipulation although this slot may be omitted, if desired, and each member A, B and C is pre ierably provided with an aperture 0;, 5 and c a dapted to be brought into alinement when the body and spring members are forced into cooperative posi tion with the third member C, so that a conductor may be inserted through 'said apertures and then upon releasing the spring member the conductor is firmly gripped. In Fig. 4 the post E of a spark plu F is shown gripped by the spring terminaconnection.

in order that the body and spring members may be forced into cooperative position with the third member without danger of shock, non-conducting means are provided, in this instance, secured to both the body and spring members. As shown, the spring member is provided with a block of insulation G forming a finger piece suitably molded thereon or otherwise secured thereto, and the body member A. is forced into a sleeve H of insulation, said sleeve being adapted atits free end to receive the end of. an electric con bit ducting wire or cable 3 and means are also provided for electrically connecting said wire or cable J to the body member.

The sleeve H as shown is preferably provided with an inner plug or thimble K of brass or other conducting material internally screw threaded to receive the cable J. The brass plug K is preferably provided with shoulders 03 adapted to abut against internal shoulders on the sleeve H and the plug. K is cut away at e, "leaving a space between the brass plug and the sleeve of insulation H for the reception of the free end of the body member A. This free end of thebody member is preferably'bent into trough shape form and thrust into the space between the brass plug or thimble K and the sleeve H. The inner ends of the sleeve H and plug K are beveled as shown to permit the finger piece G to have free play.

Tn manipiilating the device, the insulating sleeve is grasped between the fingers and the thumb is applied to the insulating finger-piece G, so that the body andspring members may be forced into cooperative position with the third member without danger of shock. Upon releasing the pressure of the thumb on the finger-piece G the resiliency of the metal of the clip tends to firmly clamp the device to a conductor at three points of contact. In the position shown in Fig. 4, the post or conductor E is gripped on one side by the body and spring members and on the o posite side by the intermediate member if so that the intermediate member pulls against the body melrpber and the spring member, forming a 100 Various non-conducting means may be provided for manipulatin the device without shock, and in Fig. the insulating finger-piece G is omitted and a sliding sleeve 0 of insulation is provided upon the sleeve H. This longitudinally slidable sleeve 0 is provided with an internally flared end P adapted to bear upon the spring member B of the spring terminal. The sleeve 0 is limited In its movement by any suitable means as a slot f through which passes a pin 9. The extent of the longitudinal movement of the sleeve 0 should be'so determined and limited that by pushing the sleeve to itstfarthest extent in the direction of the spring terminal, the spring member of the terminal will be compressed suficiently to release the grip on the conductor, so that the conductor may be removed. After a conductor is inserted in the spring terminal, the sleeve is retracted to its farthest extent, thereby permitting the members of the spring terminal to grip the conductor.

In Fig. 8, another modification is shown, in which a non-conducting piece or bar Q is suitably hinged as at h to the sleeve H and hearing at its outer end j upon the spring ,aeonee member B. B pressing upon the non-conducting piece manipulated in an obvious manner.

In Figs. 9 and 10, another modification is shown in which the spring terminal comprises two spring members R and S and a 7 body member T. The spring members are adapted to cooperate with each other to clamp a conductor. The spring member R as shown is provided with a hooked end having a slot 0 while the spring member S is provided with a hooked end 72 of reduced width adapted to enter the slot 0, so that a conductor may be gripped between the two hooked ends. The two spring members R and S and the body member T may be formed in one piece, although they may be separate pieces and the body member T is preferably, of trough shape form, so it may be conveniently thrust into the insulating sleeve U and between said sleeve and the conducting plug or thimble V, as shown. A sliding sleeve W of insulating material is mounted for longitudinal movement upon the sleeve U and is provided with the internally flared end X adapted to bear upon the bowed portions of the spring members R and S, so that by moving the sleeve longitudinally, said members may be forced to approach each other or permitted to recede from each other. A pin and slot connection f and g limits the movement of the sleeve W.

If desired, the member R shown in Fig. 9 may be formed of such stifi' and strong metal ribbon or other flat metal as to in eflect form a body member practically incapable of being flexed, and in'that case the member R, together with the member T would form the body member, while the member S would form a spring member as before. Furthermore, the slot 0 may, of course, be in either member and the hoop 72 may be formed on either member, the construction in the drawing being merely an illustration.

In Fig. 11 the body member R is made straight and stifi and inserted in the sleeve U and provided with the hooked end is having the slot 0 as in Fig. 9, while the spring member S is curvedas in Fig. 9 and provided with the hooked end 7? as in Fig. 9. The operating means may be like that shown in F g. 8, comprising a non-conducting bar Q hinged at h to the sleeve U.

I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent the following:

1. A spring terminal connection for electr1 c wires formed of resilient metal and comprising opposed normally separated body and spring members, and a third member located intermediate the same, all of said members being adapted to receive a conductor and cod crate in clamping theconthe spring terminal may be ductor, said he y member carrying a sleeve memes of nonconducting material and said spring member carrying a finger-piece of non-conducting material whereby said spring'member may be forced toward the body member and into cooperative relationship with said third member and body member against the tension of the spring without danger of electric shock.

2. A spring terminal connection for electric wires formed of resilient metal and comprising opposed normally separated body and spring members, and a third member located intermediate the same and adapted to cooperate with said body and spring member to receive and clamp a conductor when said members are forced into cooperative relationship against the tension of the spring and then released, said body member carrying a protective sleeve of nonconducting material, said sleeve being adapted at its free end to receive the end of an electric conducting wire and means for electrically connecting said electric conducting wire to said body member.

3. A spring terminal connection for electric wires formed of resilient metal and comprising opposed normally separated body and spring members, and a third member located intermediate the same and adapted to cooperate with said body and spring member to receive and clamp a conductor when said members are forced into cooperative relationship against the tension of the spring and then released, said body member carrying a protective sleeve of non-conducting material, said sleeve being adapted at its free end to receive the end of an electric conducting wire, and nonconducting means whereby said spring member may be forced toward the body member and into cooperative relationship with said third member and body member against the tension of the spring, without danger of electric shock.

A spring terminal connection for electric wires formed of resilient metal and comprising two opposed normally separated spring members adapted when pressed together to cooperate with each other to clamp a conductor, a body member formed at a free end of said spring members, said body member carrying a protective sleeve of non-conducting material, said sleeve being adapted at its free end to receive the end of an electric conducting wire, and non-conducting means whereby the two spring members may be forced toward each other into cooperative relationship against the spring tension, without danger of electric shock.

5. A spring terminal connection for electric .wires formed of resilient metal and comprising opposed normally separated body and spring members adapted to cooperate with each other to receive and clamp a conductor when the spring member is forced toward the body member and then released, said body member carrying a protective sleeve of non-conducting material, said sleeve being. adapted at its free end to receive the end of an electric conducting wire, and non-conducting means whereby said spring member may be forced toward the body" member and into cooperative relationship therewith against the tension of the spring, without danger of electric shock.

6. A spring terminal connection for electric wires formed of resilient metal and comprising opposed normally separated body and spring members, and a third resilient member forming a continuation of the spring member and located intermediate the body and spring members, the inner end of the intermediate member being adapted to bear upon the body member, all three members being provided with holes for the reception of an electric wire, said holes being brought into substantial a-linement for inserting the wire by forcing the spring member toward the body member, and said wire being clamped and held in position by the reactive force of the spring member and intermediate resilient member.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST BENJAMIN FAHNESTOGK.

Witnesses:

JOHN SCHADE, Jr.,. JOHN SCHADE. 

